Ocean Springs Resident Going to Prison for Exploitation

June 6, 2014

An Ocean Springs resident is going to prison after pleading guilty to exploitation of a vulnerable person, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today.

In Jackson County Circuit Court this morning, Judge Dale Harkey sentenced James Matson, 25, to 10 years each on two counts of exploitation (total of 20 years), with six years to serve in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, followed by five years supervised probation and the remainder to be served on unsupervised probation. Matson was also fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $64,515 in restitution to the estate of the victim, who was the widow of a WWII Navy Officer.

“We appreciate Judge Harkey for sentencing this defendant to prison for this crime, and are glad to have brought about justice for the victim’s family,” said Attorney General Hood.

The pre-sentencing report confirmed that Matson was the fiancé of Melissa Webster, who pleaded guilty and is serving time for the same type of crime. Matson had taken charge of the same facility Webster was running in Ocean Springs. The victims in both cases were residents of that facility.